10/1/12

The Disciple Elder Hamblin's
Epistle to the Hamblin II Family

Hello from the land of no taxes and where it is illegal to pump your own gas...Oregon! (seriously, you can't even get out of your own car, take the cap off, and pump your gas.  Someone has to do it for you).  Anyway, everything is going great here in Milton-Freewater.  Elder Olsen and I are working hard to find people and doing all we can to teach.  We have been having quite a bit of success too.

It was great to hear about Mandy and Cade...too bad they aren't coming to the WKM.  Elder Burk is just extremely blessed.  I know they will love it, but they really, deep down in their hearts, want to be here in the best mission ever.

Well, you all know me very well, and know I don't have a very good memory.  I am really trying to think up something really cool to say, but I can't remember anything, so I think I will tell a story.  The other night Elder Olsen & I were tracting down a street.  No one was home when we came to a HUGE bush in front of a small house.  We were about to walk in the yard when this Horse ran from behind the bush.  It scared me half to death when I realized that horses don't bark and have big teeth.  It was literally the biggest boxer I have ever seen!

Anyway, that was just a story.  "there's a sacrament talk in there somewhere".  Yesterday in church we talked quite a bit about sacrifices.  We sacrifice because we use our FREE agency to submit our will to God's.  (In contrast we use our agency to practice our own will to rebel against God).  This "Sacrifice" of agency includes serving others, studying the scriptures, and "Following the Brethren" (Boyd K. Packer).  God promises us that as we do so, our sacrifice will be swallowed up in the joy of Christ.

My studies this week (aided by Dad's letters) have lead me to expound on the subject of sacrifice.  In Mosiah 18 (my current section of the Book of Mormon) Alma preaches to the followers and subjects of King Noah.  they continually gather together around the waters of Mormon (Just as we gather around the Book of Mormon) to learn about Christ & His doctrine.  They sacrifice time, titles and treasures (otherwise their free agency) in order to learn of Christ.  They meet in the wilderness amongst the beast and heat, away from their plush, comfortable lives.  To many, this would be a "Living (St. Johns)".  Yet, in Verse 30, it states that to those who came to a knowledge of their Redeemer, it was beautiful.  Shippa, remember that scripture I gave you a few weeks back? Share that with the rest of the family as it fits in this section of the letter.

Well, I love you all!  Hope this week is better than a day down in St. Johns!
Love,
Elder Rex Hamblin